Feb. 26, 2018 - In the Rouge-Matawin wildlife preserve, a crew of young foresters is busy at work in a predominantly softwood sector about an hour’s drive away from Saint-Michel-des-Saints, Que. An operator in new six-wheeled Tigercat 635G skidder that arrived a few short weeks ago is hauling a heavy load of tree-length wood through swampy and steep terrain.

Jan. 23, 2018 - Canadian Forest Industries Top 10 Under 40 contest is an annual tradition, drawing in nominations from coast-to-coast and recognizing young leaders in forestry.

To individually acknowledge each winner and his or her contributions to the forest industry, CFI has featured each of our top 10 winners of 2017 over 10 weeks.

In wrapping up our amazing roster of young individuals, we introduce our readers to Marco Gaudette.

Marco is owner and operator at Broyage RM in Saint-Hyacinthe, Que.

As soon as he turned 18, Marco decided to become a construction entrepreneur. Years later, in 2009, Marco trained as a carpenter and took interest in the forest sector. At the time wood pallet businesses had a lot of residues to shred and Marco saw a business opportunity.

“I called Domtar to sell them the biomass before buying a wood chipper,” Marco says. “But they did not transfer me to the right person, because a forester offered me a grinding contract on their private lands.” That contract was more than enough for Marco to invest in a wood grinder and launch Broyage RM in Saint-Hyacinthe, Que.

Marco’s margins were slim with his first contract, but the entrepreneur persevered. Eight years later, at 34-years-old, Marco’s company now processes 225,000 tons of biomass yearly for clients such as Domtar, Acadian Timber and Irving. Meanwhile, he developed a unique business model: he buys the raw material left in the forest, grinds it and sells it to pulp and paper mills.

The profitability of his business is tied to transportation costs. In 2009, operations were limited to 75 kilometres or less from the mill in order for Broyage RM to make money. Today, Marco Gaudette can go as far as 130 kilometres and still make a profit with his three grinders – two Vermeer’s and one Morbark – and nine employees.

To keep his business growing, Marco now dreams about a biomass mill that would store and process even more raw material for his clients.

Thank you once again to all of our nominees. We can't wait to read about more talented individuals in forestry in the search for the next Top 10 Under 40!

Jan. 19, 2018 – Seventy five years ago the Truck Loggers Association (TLA) was discussing radically different logging equipment at their first annual convention, but their core message was the same as it is today: contractor sustainability.

He has played an integral role to advancing Richmond Plywood Corporation’s mill through production and operational management, financial steering and streamlining, and all in just one year.

Ali came to Richmond Plywood on an interim basis from Deloitte LLP and was appointed full time in May 2016. The 30-year-old stands out within the company where the median age is around 50-60.

“He is a visionary, goal oriented, and forward thinking executive management member who constantly sets the bar high for expectations and is progressively aiming to improve his team members,” Gurnam Minhas, Richmond Plywood’s president and chairman, says.

Ali’s achievements include record-setting financial ratio improvements and significant capital generation and streamlining the accounting department through the integration of a new accounting system with other supporting systems.

“He plays a vital role in ensuring our organization is in line with all our partnered associations’ expectations, which expresses his high level of care for quality assurance,” Minhas says. “He is always generating new ideas and pushing our boundaries to unforeseen limits, which have been greatly appreciated from a chairman, board of directors, and organizational standpoint.”

Dec. 4, 2017 - Birthdays are a good time for reflection. A time to think about what we accomplished over the past year. For those in the business of wood, Canada’s 150th year was full of ups and downs.

Nov. 28, 2017 - Canadian Forest Industries Top 10 Under 40 contest is an annual tradition, drawing in nominations from coast-to-coast and recognizing young leaders in forestry. To individually acknowledge each winner and his or her contributions to the forest industry, CFI will feature each of our top 10 winners of 2017 over the next 10 weeks.

This week, we introduce our readers to Daniel Main.

Daniel is general manager at Main Logging in Terrace, B.C.

His love for logging dates back to when he was a toddler, napping at his dad’s feet in the cab of his machine, says Ferris Moxam, Daniel’s spouse.

“I see his love for logging every time we hit the road and can’t drive past a piece of equipment without taking a closer look; or when he falls asleep to videos of grapple yarders at work,” Moxam says.

Daniel is one of three brothers who took over the family business run out of Terrace, B.C. He started working as a logger after he graduated in 2005.

The 29-year-old isn’t just brawn, Moxam adds. He became a journeyman heavy duty mechanic and has taken numerous courses and workshops related to project management and logging specific training. Today as general manager he is active in sourcing and securing work, managing crews, maintaining equipment and running equipment when need arises.

“Daniel has earned the respect of his colleagues and crew by never being afraid to put in long hours or get his hands dirty,” Moxam says.

Outside of the company, Daniel sits on the Terrace Economic Development Authority. Board member Kam Siemens describes Daniel as a hard working family man, and community minded. “Through all of this his creativity and innovative ways has allowed the company to flourish,” he says.

Oct. 23, 2017 - Don’t be complacent about chain shot safety. Even very experienced operators can be exposed to the risk; manufacturers strive to design out hazards but a design that completely eliminates the chain shot hazard is a tall order.